As Chandrayaan-3 is all set to attempt to land on the uncharted south pole of the Moon, former Indian Space Research Organisation chief G. Madhavan Nair said on Wednesday that the last 20 minutes of descending from the lunar orbit to the lunar surface are going to be the most challenging moment in the history of this mission. Terming it as a "significant milestone for planetary exploration" Nair stated that evenryone is looking forward to it.
"Everybody is anxiously looking forward to this great event. As far as the Indian space program is concerned, it is going to be the most significant milestone for planetary exploration...The last 20 minutes of descending from the lunar orbit to the lunar surface are going to be the most challenging moment in the history of this mission," G. Madhavan Nair said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
Meanwhile, India is awaiting the soft landing with bated breath and prayers. Wishes poured in from all parts and leaders cutting across party lines ahead of the most-awaited moment.
If the Chandrayaan-3 mission succeeds in its attempt to make a touchdown on Moon and in landing a robotic lunar rover in ISRO's second attempt in four years, India will become the fourth country to master the technology of soft-landing on the lunar surface after the US, China and the erstwhile Soviet Union.
Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 and its objectives are to demonstrate safe and soft-landing on the lunar surface, roving on the Moon, and to conduct in-situ scientific experiments.